2034 Falls City tornado

2034 Falls City tornado
	Clockwise from top: One of two known photos taken of the tornado before it entered Falls City, Nebraska at the time of this image the tornado was doing EF3 damage near the Big Nemaha River; radar image from KOAX at around 9:30 PM CST of the tornado over Falls City; aerial view of the tornado's path as it went through Falls City; the only house in the tornado's path to get an EF5 rating with it being swept clean
Meteorological history
Formed	November 13, 2034, 08:59 p.m. CST (UTC−06:00)
Dissipated	November 13, 2034, 10:02 p.m. CST (UTC−06:00)
Duration	1 hour, 4 minutes
EF5 tornado
	on the Enhanced Fujita scale
Max width	384 yards (0.2 mi; 0.4 km)
Path length	61.0 miles (98.2 km)
Highest winds	>200 mph (320 km/h)
Overall effects
Fatalities	12
Injuries	68
Damage	$60 million (2034 USD)
Areas affected	Nemaha and Brown Counties in Kansas, Richardson County (particularly the city of Falls City) in Nebraska, Holt and Nodaway Counties in Missouri
	Part of the tornado outbreak of November 13, 2034 and tornado outbreaks of 2034

The 2034 Falls City tornado was a large and violent EF5 tornado that struck Berwick in Kansas, Falls City in Nebraska, Craig and Skidmore in Missouri, and surrounding rural areas on the night of November 13, 2034, with peak winds ultimately estimated to be >200 mph (320 km/h) following an extended engineering review. The tornado killed 12 people and injured 68 others. It was the strongest tornado produced during the November 13, 2034 tornado outbreak, a single day severe weather event that produced 28 tornadoes across Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri and Kansas. Following its final rating, it became the first EF5 tornado in Nebraska since the 1964 Central Nebraska tornado, and the first officially rated EF5 tornado in the United States since the 2025 Enderlin, North Dakota tornado.

Following the initial damage survey, the National Weather Service assigned the tornado a preliminary high-end EF4 rating, with estimated peak winds of 190 mph (314 km/h). An extended engineering review was subsequently initiated after investigators documented several residences exhibiting exceptional structural damage, including complete removal from their foundations despite above-average construction characteristics. Based on the findings of that review, the tornado was officially upgraded to EF5 intensity, with peak winds estimated to be >200 mph (320 km/h).

Meteorological synopsis

A deepening surface low moved northeastward across the central plains while a strong mid- and upper-level trough advanced from the southern Rockies into the Great Plains. Ahead of the surface low, a strong southerly low-level jet transported unusually warm and moist air northward from the southern plains into eastern Nebraska, western Iowa, eastern Kansas, and northern Missouri. Despite the calendar date, temperatures in the warm sector likely reached the upper 60s to mid-70s°F, with dew points generally in the upper 50s to mid-60s°F. A dryline/cold-front boundary extended southward from the surface low through Kansas and Oklahoma, while a warm front extended eastward/northeastward across the central plains. Strong wind fields associated with the approaching upper trough produced substantial low-level and deep-layer wind shear across the warm sector. By early afternoon, thunderstorms began developing along and near the surface boundaries. Initial storms were relatively isolated, allowing them to take advantage of the increasingly unstable and strongly sheared environment. Several storms rapidly became supercells, producing large hail, damaging winds, and multiple tornadoes. Several particularly intense supercell tracked northeast toward towns such as, Falls City, Auburn and Vermillion, where they produced violent tornadoes, with the Falls City supercell dropping an EF5 that reached peak intensity around 09:30 p.m. CDT, devastating the north and west sides of the city before going on to hit Craig, then dissipating 18.75 Miles northeast of the city at 10:02 p.m. CDT.

Tornado summary

Formation and Path in Kansas

A tornado would touch down 2.64 Miles northeast of Seneca at 08:59 PM, Kansas moving north east, passing northwest of Oneida, Kansas at that time the Tornado was only doing EF1 damage to rural homes, as it passed close by Sanetha City Lake it began to cause EF2 level damage to trees on the southeast shore of the lake, at 9:11 PM the tornado would enter the town of Berick, Kansas causing EF2 damage to a metal shed in the north side of town, it is here in Berwick where the first fatally is reported, at 9:22 PM CDT the tornado enters Nebraska leaving behind one fatally in Kansas.

Track through Nebraska and Falls City

Upon entering Nebraska the tornado was still at EF2 strength as it approached Falls City, another fatality happens as a motorist driving along 703 Rd unknowingly drove straight into the strengthening tornado, right as it crossed Big Nemaha River it reaches EF3 Intensity as the National Weather service issues a tornado emergency for Falls City. The tornado would then start doing its damage in Falls City at around 9:30 PM CDT first causing EF3 damage to homes along W 14th St, then not even a minute later would enter the main part of the city and would rapidly intensify to EF5 as it impacted homes along W 19th and Schoenheit St's as it moves through Falls City it would hit the St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church at EF4 intensity, as tornado was leaving Falls City it would pass Brenner Field at 9:33 PM, it would then weaken down to EF2 before hit several homes on 710 Rd and 658 Ave, before crossing into Missouri at around 9:51 PM. Following the initial damage survey, the National Weather Service assigned the tornado a preliminary high-end EF4 rating with estimated peak winds of 190 mph (314 km/h). Because of the exceptional destruction documented in the area of homes along W 19th and Schoenheit St's—including complete removal of several residences from their foundations, extensive contextual damage, and evidence of unusually intense wind effects—an extended engineering review was conducted. The review included structural analysis of multiple residences exhibiting complete destruction, with particular attention given to homes constructed above typical residential standards. Upon completion of the investigation, the tornado was officially upgraded to EF5 intensity, with peak winds estimated to be >200 mph (320 km/h).

Track in Missouri and Dissipation

As it crossed the Missouri River into Missouri, the tornado gradually began to undergo an occlusion while continuing northeast as it approached Craig, Missouri. At 9:44 PM the tornado reached Craig; right as the National Weather Service issued a second tornado emergency for this tornado, entering Craig from the southeast, it would restrengthen to EF3 intensity. Right as it began to hit homes in Craig it would untimely fail its occlusion over Craig and began moving more due east then northeast. Once leaving Craig, the tornado weakened to EF2. Its last EF2 would be 5 Miles from Craig. At 10:01 PM it would reach far southern Skidmore, Missouri before finally dissipating at 10:02 p.m. CDT, ending a 1 Hour and 4 Minute path that extended 61.0 miles (98.2 km). In total, the tornado claimed 12 lives (1 in Kansas, 10 in Nebraska, and 1 in Missouri), injured 68 others, and became the most destructive and deadly tornado of the November 13 outbreak.

Aftermath

The tornado killed 12 people and injured 68 others, with the majority of casualties occurring in Falls City after the tornado rapidly intensified while entering the city. Search and rescue operations began almost immediately after the tornado lifted, as local firefighters, law enforcement officers, emergency medical personnel, and volunteers worked through the night to locate survivors trapped beneath collapsed homes and debris. Mutual aid was requested from surrounding counties, while the Minnesota National Guard assisted with debris removal, traffic control, and security in the days following the disaster.

Thousands of residents lost electrical service as numerous transmission lines and utility poles were destroyed throughout all counties. Several roads remained impassable due to fallen trees, overturned vehicles, and structural debris. Temporary shelters were established for displaced residents, while state and federal disaster assistance was made available following a disaster declaration. Recovery efforts continued for months as neighborhoods most heavily affected by the tornado were cleared and rebuilt.

Historical Info

The Falls City tornado became one of the forgotten tornadoes in both Nebraska history and the Decade of the 2030s because of what would happen one year later in Lake Crystal, Minnesota, the exceptional structural damage and the engineering review in Falls City ultimately resulted in an EF5 rating. Meteorologists noted that the tornado didn't wrap in rain until it passed Craig. A photograph taken only moments before the tornado entered Falls City became one of the 2 Known images of the Tornado taken before the tornado entered Falls City due to the National Weather Service's failure to issue a PDS tornado warning before it entered Falls City. Minutes later, the tornado reached its greatest intensity as it just began to enter Falls City Proper, producing damage that was described as similar to tornadoes such as Rolling Fork and Greenfield in the 2020s.